Big unknowns still loom for medical marijuana dispensaries – KATU

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon could allow legal recreational marijuana sales as soon as three months from now, but medical marijuana dispensaries know next to nothing about how those regulations will work.

“Everyone is worried about the black market,” said Aviv Hadar, who owns OreGrown in Bend.

Oregonians passed Measure 91 in November, which legalized marijuana on July 1.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission won’t be ready for the regulated and taxed marijuana market until October 2016.

So a bill in the Oregon Legislature will allow recreational sales through medical marijuana dispensaries, which the Oregon Health Authority oversees.

OHA hasn’t given any details on how regulations will work.

“Until licenses, audited regulated stores are up and running, the Craigslist drug dealer is going to capitalize,” Hadar said.

At OLCC headquarters in Southeast Portland there are regular meetings to craft the regulations for when the OLCC regulates recreational marijuana.

OHA says it is having discussions over regulations but won’t have formal meetings until Gov. Kate Brown signs off.

“If they’re making rules behind closed doors I hope that we get a chance to read them at some point,” Hadar said.

“We’ve already gone through so many struggles as dispensary owners and so many hoops, that anything that comes about within three months that we’ll be ready and that I think we will go through with it as it comes,” said Rosa Cazares, Vice President of Lamonta.